To support local authorities, PAS has developed practical tools to help structure your early preparations and adapt effectively as more information becomes available.
Starting to plan in a new system can feel challenging, particularly when details are still emerging. To support local authorities, PAS has developed practical tools to help structure your early preparations and adapt effectively as more information becomes available. We have designed, in collaboration with MHCLG, a Project Initiation Document (PID) with the intention of testing and refining it to ultimately support the Create and Update a Local Plan resource. If you have any suggestions for improvements, then let us know at [email protected]
The PID is designed to be a genuinely useful tool that planning authorities can use to plan, support decision-making and track progress. The PID is made to be iterative and built on throughout the plan-making process, not just created once and not revisited.
Tool 1: Local Plan Project Initiation Document (PID) Template and Guidance
The Local Plan PID is a structured template with clear guidance on how to complete it designed to help you organise your early thinking.
It can assist you to:
- Set out your project's scope and key objectives.
- Define governance, roles, and responsibilities clearly.
- Identify important evidence and resources you'll need to gather.
- Plan your stakeholder engagement approach.
- Recognise potential risks and manage them proactively.
The PID is flexible and designed to be updated as new details about the planning system become clearer.
Tool 2: Start Your Local Plan Diagnostic
The 'Start Your Local Plan Diagnostic' is an interactive Excel-based tool to help you quickly assess your readiness to begin a local plan in the new system. Using this diagnostic, you can:
- Identify strengths and gaps in your current preparation.
- Highlight priority actions to address critical areas.
- Track progress over time, updating your assessments as and when you want to.
Together, these tools offer practical ways to begin preparing, ensuring you stay responsive and informed during this period of transition.